Beyond horror
interview
That is sharp beginning of a new year, the first interviewed band of this year are the Swedish death metallers TRIBULATION which answers were worth to wait for half a year due to busy of band on a European tour. TRIBULATION clearly belongs to new hopes playing original and mansard haunting Death Metal with even more scary leads. The interview let you know something about the upcoming second album, where guys go for inspiration etc. Immerse yourself into first Slovak TRIBULATION interview; the questions were answered by Adam Zaars (guit).
Hello, could you first write something about history of TRIBULATION, how did you get together and what was the main reason to start the band? You have started as a Thrash Metal band....
Hello! No, we did not start as a Thrash Metal band; we’ve been playing Death Metal from the very beginning. The main reason to start the band was simply that we wanted to play this kind of music, there wasn’t much thought behind it really, we were still very young. We already knew each other and had been playing in different bands together before.
Your last "The Horror" album is two years out by now. Seems that album reviews are all above good. How are you satisfied with the result after such a long time?
When we released it we were all very satisfied with it, and it didn’t really come as a chock when we started reading the reviews and pretty much all of them were really good. Of course we were happy for it, but at the time I would have been very disappointed had the reviews been in a different way. I am still satisfied, we did what we could at the time, but that era has now come to an end, now we are only looking forward forgetting that we even made a previous album.
How would you describe "manufacturing" process of "The Horror" album? Was it easy to make or there were any complications? How long did it take to finish this stuff? Do you think it is the best what you have ever written?
I remember that we had a lot of struggle with various things, but apparently that was a good thing. Everything that happens in the process has some effect on the outcome, and I think that the struggling was one of the factors that made it the album it is. It’s not the best stuff we’ve written, the new material is superior.
Your debut is one of the best recordings of last period in all its bearings to me. Very original Death Metal style, neither in typical Swedish nor the US kind of style, even though more closely to Swedish one. How can you see your style?
Glad to hear that for once, people usually only say that “it’s in the true Swedish way and sound”, or whatever, which couldn’t be further from what it really is. We were way more inspired by North & South American bands as well as eastern European. If I were to say some Swedish bands it wouldn’t be the typical “Sunlight”-bands, it would be bands like Morbid and Dissection.
What is most essential for you in terms of composition? Do you have some model for writing or you compose it all naturally?
If you are to write Death/Black Metal you can’t really have a “model”, it goes out of what it all stands for, to me at least. I see this music as limitless and I can’t see it following a pattern, at least not a conscious one. I think you can use inspiration from any music or art to compose this kind of music, if you have it in you it will eventually come out the right way. I try to be as thoughtless as possible when writing, I’m not even writing, it chooses to come when it wants to. It could be through meditation or by sitting in a car for 9 hours, or just hearing some kind of rhythm walking past a car, or whatever. That’s a reason this second album has been taking a while to finish, it’s not forced in any way what so ever.
Your early „Putrid Rebirth" EP was released by Blood Harvest and debut on Pulverized Records. How did you get to Pulverized? Is it difficult to find a label for a CD today? Are you satisfied with Pulverized´s promotion? Will you cooperate with them in future as well?
Pulverized contacted us and just asked us if we wanted to release an album, and at the time we said yes. They’ve been really good for the first album. No, it’s not difficult at all, not for us at least, we have tons of labels interested in the new album. Now we just have to decide who it’s going to be. It’s not going to be them again, no.
You have recorded debut in Hvergelmer Studios, why have you chosen just this studio? It has very good, compact, aggressive and dynamic sound. Are you satisfied with the production? Will you record there also next time?
We chose it simply because it’s owned by a friend of ours, so we had as much time as we wanted. It was the easiest way! Yes, we are satisfied. We’re not sure where the next one will be recorded.
Beside composition also the melody is your very strong side which can go really hand in hand with the composition. What does the melody mean to you? Is it difficult to compose music that is melodic but brutal and aggressive as well?
Everything is important. Like I said, we’re not trying anything it ends up the way it does. And for us it’s very natural to combine melody and brutality. I think it really goes hand in hand when since it makes it a lot more dynamic.
Your solos are incredible atmospheric, me, personally think the solos are just the main body of your atmosphere; every solo is beautifully composed and polished. Are the solos very important for you?
Thank you! They are very important yes; I’m yet to write a song without a guitar solo. Since we’re grown up with music where the guitar solos are of a major importance this is just the way it has become for us as well. I don’t really think it matters if you’re playing Heavy Metal or Death Metal; they are still a spice that is very useful.
Could you comment on the following Swedish bands? AFFLICTED, UTUMNO, DESULTORY, CRYPT OF KERBEROS and GROTESQUE?
I only really care about Grotesque among these. But they’ve been with me for a long time, one of the best Swedish bands from that time!
Personally, I think the Swedish Death Metal scene is going through a huge boom, especially in the Underground, I have seen many great bands led by you. Do you follow the domestic scene today and what do you think about it? Would you highlight some bands?
I don’t really follow it actively to be honest. People should look out for the new stuff with Necrovation, Degial and Invidious though! Extremely lethal Death music! Hopefully there will be some other band from all of these new ones that will take it seriously enough to make something worth checking out. I guess we’ll see…
What inspires you most as for music composition?
Art, pictures and books. It inspires me a lot more than actual music really. I’m after a certain feeling, and I get it more easily through different kinds of dark and often satanic art. It can be everything from old children’s books to a picture of an actual corpse. Movies also inspire me to make music and art.
What about new stuff? Do you already have some new songs prepared? If so, how would you compare them with the older ones? Are you a band that wants to keep own style; or it is developing a little different direction?
Like I said we have another album coming. We would never want to do another “The Horror”, it would be a total waste of time, energy, and integrity. I’m sure a lot of people are going to bitch about it not sounding the same, but that just makes me happier. I won’t really say anything about how it sounds, just wait and see.
The lyrics are probably influenced by horror themes. Where do you draw inspiration in these fields? What importance do you lay upon the lyrics? Who is the lyrics author?
For “The Horror” we made lyrics to fit the music, me and Jonathan wrote them all. I think they all fit perfectly, but I still have in mind that we were like 16/17 when we wrote most of them, which in one way makes it even better. As for now the lyrical content is more important than it was then, it’s not only there to “fit in”.
What about your concert activities? Do you play often? Do you take all coming offers or you choose? How does it look on your live shows? Fans must be in a trance...
We could have been touring the entire last year if we had wanted to, the offers were there, but we simply couldn’t. But we have played quite a bit any way! We put a lot into our live performances; we focus both on atmosphere and aggression. It’s very punk, a lot more than on the album. It’s an energy boost really; you can really pump yourself up doing it. We’d rather see people fighting each other for real than just having a mosh pit, and I guess that’s what we’re trying to do with our energy. At least that’s the feeling we’re after.
Let's go back a bit in the past. When you began to perceive the metal music? Do you still remember your beginnings? Which bands have you heard first and which albums you consider to be the best? Do you think the metal scene has very changed from 80's, 90's?
Personally I started listening to Kiss when I was about 6, and then came Iron Maiden and Morbid Angel. And that’s pretty much where I still am today when I come to think of it. Of course it has changed, in the 80’s it was the biggest thing, nowadays bands can’t really reach those heights, and it’s still the old bands that are the biggest! But in the underground it’s at least a lot better now than it was in the 90’s.
What do you dislike on metal music most? I do not believe you listen to all bands and sure there are bands you can not accept :)
I hate most of what people consider “metal”, the people and the music. I enjoy real Metal, I love going to Metal bars in the south of Europe where all the bar sing along to songs by bands like Omen or Manilla Road to Morbid Angel and Mayhem. They are still true down there. Death and Black Metal are genres that I really dislike, there are really only the absolute top of the ice berg that are any good, but those bands are truly divine! It’s strange that there can be such a difference. But I guess that goes for any genre really.
Ok, it would be all on my part, if I forgot anything, you have the space. Thank you for the interview and wish TRIBULATION only the best in the future, I think they will talk about you more and more for your damn good music! Stay Dark and Heavy!
Thank you! The Formulae are in the makings, the cauldron is being stirred.
http://www.myspace.com/soultribulation
Adam 12. 1. 2011 Mortuary
Hello, could you first write something about history of TRIBULATION, how did you get together and what was the main reason to start the band? You have started as a Thrash Metal band....
Hello! No, we did not start as a Thrash Metal band; we’ve been playing Death Metal from the very beginning. The main reason to start the band was simply that we wanted to play this kind of music, there wasn’t much thought behind it really, we were still very young. We already knew each other and had been playing in different bands together before.
Your last "The Horror" album is two years out by now. Seems that album reviews are all above good. How are you satisfied with the result after such a long time?
When we released it we were all very satisfied with it, and it didn’t really come as a chock when we started reading the reviews and pretty much all of them were really good. Of course we were happy for it, but at the time I would have been very disappointed had the reviews been in a different way. I am still satisfied, we did what we could at the time, but that era has now come to an end, now we are only looking forward forgetting that we even made a previous album.
How would you describe "manufacturing" process of "The Horror" album? Was it easy to make or there were any complications? How long did it take to finish this stuff? Do you think it is the best what you have ever written?
I remember that we had a lot of struggle with various things, but apparently that was a good thing. Everything that happens in the process has some effect on the outcome, and I think that the struggling was one of the factors that made it the album it is. It’s not the best stuff we’ve written, the new material is superior.
Your debut is one of the best recordings of last period in all its bearings to me. Very original Death Metal style, neither in typical Swedish nor the US kind of style, even though more closely to Swedish one. How can you see your style?
Glad to hear that for once, people usually only say that “it’s in the true Swedish way and sound”, or whatever, which couldn’t be further from what it really is. We were way more inspired by North & South American bands as well as eastern European. If I were to say some Swedish bands it wouldn’t be the typical “Sunlight”-bands, it would be bands like Morbid and Dissection.
What is most essential for you in terms of composition? Do you have some model for writing or you compose it all naturally?
If you are to write Death/Black Metal you can’t really have a “model”, it goes out of what it all stands for, to me at least. I see this music as limitless and I can’t see it following a pattern, at least not a conscious one. I think you can use inspiration from any music or art to compose this kind of music, if you have it in you it will eventually come out the right way. I try to be as thoughtless as possible when writing, I’m not even writing, it chooses to come when it wants to. It could be through meditation or by sitting in a car for 9 hours, or just hearing some kind of rhythm walking past a car, or whatever. That’s a reason this second album has been taking a while to finish, it’s not forced in any way what so ever.
Your early „Putrid Rebirth" EP was released by Blood Harvest and debut on Pulverized Records. How did you get to Pulverized? Is it difficult to find a label for a CD today? Are you satisfied with Pulverized´s promotion? Will you cooperate with them in future as well?
Pulverized contacted us and just asked us if we wanted to release an album, and at the time we said yes. They’ve been really good for the first album. No, it’s not difficult at all, not for us at least, we have tons of labels interested in the new album. Now we just have to decide who it’s going to be. It’s not going to be them again, no.
You have recorded debut in Hvergelmer Studios, why have you chosen just this studio? It has very good, compact, aggressive and dynamic sound. Are you satisfied with the production? Will you record there also next time?
We chose it simply because it’s owned by a friend of ours, so we had as much time as we wanted. It was the easiest way! Yes, we are satisfied. We’re not sure where the next one will be recorded.
Beside composition also the melody is your very strong side which can go really hand in hand with the composition. What does the melody mean to you? Is it difficult to compose music that is melodic but brutal and aggressive as well?
Everything is important. Like I said, we’re not trying anything it ends up the way it does. And for us it’s very natural to combine melody and brutality. I think it really goes hand in hand when since it makes it a lot more dynamic.
Your solos are incredible atmospheric, me, personally think the solos are just the main body of your atmosphere; every solo is beautifully composed and polished. Are the solos very important for you?
Thank you! They are very important yes; I’m yet to write a song without a guitar solo. Since we’re grown up with music where the guitar solos are of a major importance this is just the way it has become for us as well. I don’t really think it matters if you’re playing Heavy Metal or Death Metal; they are still a spice that is very useful.
Could you comment on the following Swedish bands? AFFLICTED, UTUMNO, DESULTORY, CRYPT OF KERBEROS and GROTESQUE?
I only really care about Grotesque among these. But they’ve been with me for a long time, one of the best Swedish bands from that time!
Personally, I think the Swedish Death Metal scene is going through a huge boom, especially in the Underground, I have seen many great bands led by you. Do you follow the domestic scene today and what do you think about it? Would you highlight some bands?
I don’t really follow it actively to be honest. People should look out for the new stuff with Necrovation, Degial and Invidious though! Extremely lethal Death music! Hopefully there will be some other band from all of these new ones that will take it seriously enough to make something worth checking out. I guess we’ll see…
What inspires you most as for music composition?
Art, pictures and books. It inspires me a lot more than actual music really. I’m after a certain feeling, and I get it more easily through different kinds of dark and often satanic art. It can be everything from old children’s books to a picture of an actual corpse. Movies also inspire me to make music and art.
What about new stuff? Do you already have some new songs prepared? If so, how would you compare them with the older ones? Are you a band that wants to keep own style; or it is developing a little different direction?
Like I said we have another album coming. We would never want to do another “The Horror”, it would be a total waste of time, energy, and integrity. I’m sure a lot of people are going to bitch about it not sounding the same, but that just makes me happier. I won’t really say anything about how it sounds, just wait and see.
The lyrics are probably influenced by horror themes. Where do you draw inspiration in these fields? What importance do you lay upon the lyrics? Who is the lyrics author?
For “The Horror” we made lyrics to fit the music, me and Jonathan wrote them all. I think they all fit perfectly, but I still have in mind that we were like 16/17 when we wrote most of them, which in one way makes it even better. As for now the lyrical content is more important than it was then, it’s not only there to “fit in”.
What about your concert activities? Do you play often? Do you take all coming offers or you choose? How does it look on your live shows? Fans must be in a trance...
We could have been touring the entire last year if we had wanted to, the offers were there, but we simply couldn’t. But we have played quite a bit any way! We put a lot into our live performances; we focus both on atmosphere and aggression. It’s very punk, a lot more than on the album. It’s an energy boost really; you can really pump yourself up doing it. We’d rather see people fighting each other for real than just having a mosh pit, and I guess that’s what we’re trying to do with our energy. At least that’s the feeling we’re after.
Let's go back a bit in the past. When you began to perceive the metal music? Do you still remember your beginnings? Which bands have you heard first and which albums you consider to be the best? Do you think the metal scene has very changed from 80's, 90's?
Personally I started listening to Kiss when I was about 6, and then came Iron Maiden and Morbid Angel. And that’s pretty much where I still am today when I come to think of it. Of course it has changed, in the 80’s it was the biggest thing, nowadays bands can’t really reach those heights, and it’s still the old bands that are the biggest! But in the underground it’s at least a lot better now than it was in the 90’s.
What do you dislike on metal music most? I do not believe you listen to all bands and sure there are bands you can not accept :)
I hate most of what people consider “metal”, the people and the music. I enjoy real Metal, I love going to Metal bars in the south of Europe where all the bar sing along to songs by bands like Omen or Manilla Road to Morbid Angel and Mayhem. They are still true down there. Death and Black Metal are genres that I really dislike, there are really only the absolute top of the ice berg that are any good, but those bands are truly divine! It’s strange that there can be such a difference. But I guess that goes for any genre really.
Ok, it would be all on my part, if I forgot anything, you have the space. Thank you for the interview and wish TRIBULATION only the best in the future, I think they will talk about you more and more for your damn good music! Stay Dark and Heavy!
Thank you! The Formulae are in the makings, the cauldron is being stirred.
http://www.myspace.com/soultribulation
Adam 12. 1. 2011 Mortuary